Automatic and progressive changespeed gear



Oct. 30, 1951 J. MARTIN AUTOMATIC AND PROGRESSIVE cHANGE-sREED GEAR 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 6, 1948 Am nu l 4 In ven*l or Jazn Ma/"uz oct. 3o, 1951 J. M'Amm AUTOMATIC AND PROGRESSIVE CHANGE-SPEED GEAR Filed Jan. 6,- 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jean v forzz ey;

Oct. 30, 1951 J. MARTIN 2,573,472

AUTOMATIC AND PROGRESSIVE CHANGE-.SPEED GEAR Filed Jan. 6, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Inventor I Jean Marian Patented Oct. 3U, 1951.

AUTOMATIC AND PROGRESSIVE CHANGE'- sPEEn GEAR Jean Martin, Paris, France Application January 6, 1948, Serial No. 753 In France January 8, 1947 8 Claims.

A progressive variable speed transmission should be capable, without any extraneous aid, of a wide range of speeds with an increase of the torque when the speed decreases and this should be within the range of the power the equipment is called upon to yield. Various hydraulic arrangements already known have a poor efficiency as a consequence of the excessive velocity of the working fluid:

It is an object of the invention to provide a -variable speed transmission including between a driving and a driven shaft, a planetary gear system mounted on a cage assembly, the progressive functioning of said transmission, automatic or otherwise, depending on the change of speed of said cage assembly, which is effected through a hydraulic unit including a pump and a motor adapted to form a closed hydraulic circuit, the body of said unit being fixed rigidly to the driven shaft while the control parts of the pump are linked to the cage assembly and the driven parts of the motor are associated with a part adjustably connected to the casing for changing its position. Thus, the uid is supplied bythe pump to the motor in variable quantities in consequence of the said adjustable connection whereby the pump necessarily adjust the speed of the control parts linked to the cage assembly for delivering to the motor, during equal times. equal quantities of fluid. y

Another object of the invention is to provide a variable speed transmission in which, when the control parts of the motor are at a standstill, the control parts of the pump will be also stationary, whereby the same speeds are obtained for the cage assembly and the driving and the driven shaft without any movement of the fluid in the hydraulic circuit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a variable speed transmission adapted to allow an appreciable reduction in the movement of the uid for the most unfavorable speed, that is to say the lowest speed of the driven shaft, while with a usual hydraulic system, the movement of the fluid would be three or four times faster.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the accompanying claims and forming a part of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a longitudinal section of a variable speed transmission;

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the line lI-II of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a cross section along the line III-III of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is an assembly sketch for the case where a hand control is used;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the hydraulic body through line V-V of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a cross section showing the interconnection between the cooperating pump cylinders and motor cylinders through the hydraulic body;

Fig. 7 is a detail view corresponding to Fig. 3:

Fig. 8 is a side partly sectional view of the variable speed transmission from the side opposed to Fig. l and incorporating a centrifugal regulator.

Referring primarily to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the numeral I5 indicates the driving shaft and I the driven shaft, the shaft Il being coupled to a prime mover such as an internal combustion motor not shown. while the shaft I is coupled to a propeller shaft or other element to be driven. There may be interposed between the shafts Il and I a mechanical drive inthe form of a planetary gear assembly, including inthe illustrated example, a gear I6 fixed to the shaft I5 and engaging a gear Il, a gear 31 fixed with respect to the gear I1. of different diameter, engaging the gear I8 rigid with the driven shaft I. These gears I'I and 31 are supported by shaft 38 mounted on a cage assembly I9. Fixed with respect to said cage assembly I9, or, in fact integral therewith, is aneccentric Isa. This member encircles the driven shaft I. A cylindrical and rotary body 2. is fixed with respect to the driven shaft I and will rotate in the same direction through the same number of revolutions. In the body 2 is provided a plurality of pump-cylinders 39 arranged in the form of a first radial series and, as illustrated in Fig. 2, being three in number. Obviously, a greater or a smaller number of cylinders might be employed. The said cylinders are constituted by bores formed in rotary barrels 24, perpendicularly to the axis of revolution which is parallel with respect to the axis of the driven shaft. Within each pump cylinder a piston 20 is positioned and the rocking of said barrels disengages alternateley the inlet and the outlet port 21-28. The three pistons of the pump are connected at their inner ends to eccentric l9a by means of slipper elements 40.

In the cylindrical and rotary body 2 is also provided a plurality of motor-cylinders 4I arranged in the form of a second radial series. In view of the `fact thatsaid arrangement isl substantially identical to the irst, it is not described. The pistons 2i of the second radial series are supported at their inner ends by a crank-pin 25 by means of slipper elements.

'I'he different pistons are held in contact with the cooperating eccentric Isa and collar 25 through suitable means such as freely revoluble rings 36 engaging shoulders 40 at the inner end of the pistons 20 and 2l.

The said collar 25 surrounding the driven shaft Iissecuredtothefreeendofacrank'Lthe crankshaft 42 of which is pivotally carried by a wall of the casing 2t, and may act as a fixed bearing for the pistons 2|. The collar is with an inner longitudinal comparatively wide passage surrounding the driven shaft (Figs. 3, 4 and 5), the axis of said collar being parallel with respect to the axis of the driven shaft. but it is possible to obtain an angular shifting of the crank l through action on it in any suitable manner. so that the axis of the collar 2l will a1- ways be parallel with the driven shaft but will have a variable eccentricity that modifies the stroke of the pistons 2|. Of course, the eccentricity of the collar 25 may be varied through any suitable means allowing a relative shifting between the axis of the shaft and the crankpin 25.

Since air must be removed from the pump and motor cylinders of the hydraulic unit, a hole is drilled along the axis of the pistons so that the piston head and the slipper elements cooperating with the eccentric |9a and the collar 25 are placed in communication. A distinctive feature of this arrangement is to ensure, besides the blowing of air through a leak, lubrication at the same pressure as that existing above the pistons. Thus friction may be reduced if the bearing surfaces are suitably sized in relation to the bore of the cylinders. e

The cylinders of the two radial series of the pump and motor cylinders containing the pistons and 2| form part o f a closed hydraulic circuit wherein the cylinders containing the pistons 20 which cooperate with the eccentric Isa have their outlet 2l in permanent connection with the inlet of the cylinders containing the pistons 2| cooperating with the collar and reversely. This arrangement is shown to best advantage in Fig. 6 wherein the outlet ports 21 of the rst radial series of cylinders are connected with the inlet ports 28' of the cooperating cylinders through channels connecting them directly and opening in the rst annular header 29, while conversely the exhaust ports 21' corresponding to the cylinders containing the pistons 2| are connected with the admission port 28 on the opposite side through bores connecting the different ports with the second annular header 29'.

The driven shaft is furthermore bored axially at 4 and revolves inside a stationary ring 3 provided with a bore 3a connected through radial bores in said driven shaft with said axial bore 4 passing through same. Said bore 4 corresponds with the header 29 into which the pistons 20 deliver fluid, through the channel 4a in the pump. 0n the other hand the driven shaft I is provided with a second axial bore 5 independent of the former bore 4 communicating inside the pump with the header 29' into which the pistons 2| deliver the fluid and out of which the pistons 2li suck said iluid, said axial bore corresponding also with the bore lia in the driving shaft. Said bore or channel |5a forms an auxiliary feed adapted to make up for the leaks in the hydraulic circuit and the bore or channel 3a taps of! pressure in order to feed the hydraulic control adjsting the position of the crankpin as described hereinafter.

When it comes to an adaptation for some industrial purpose in a. stationary plant, a hand' control may be employed. It may consist of a crank 22 working with a worm 23, forinstance for obtaining the displacement of the collar 2S as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4.

Pv* in consequence of the high stresses that act on the collar 2i. it is preferable to make use of an automatic hydraulic system in which use is madeof the actual pressure of the hydraulic unit. y

As illustrated in Fig. 3, a rocker beam i is fixed rigidly to the crankshaft 42 of the crank 'I' carrying the collar 2l. The ends of the beam arms bear on two plungers 8 through semispherical contact steps l Ain order to provide a good surface of contact.

The plungers I are movable in cylindrically bored elements 4l. The oil coming from the hydraulic unit 2 is fed into one or the other of the plungers through a slider valve or distributor I0 the movements of which are controlled by a finger a small ylever |2 controlling same, the axis of which is rigid with the rocker beam and a rod l2 connected on one hand to this small lever l2 and on the other hand to a standard type of centrifugal governor that is illustrated sectionally at 30 in Fig. 8; said governor'may control the rod I2 through the intermediary of any suitable linkage including e. g. a lever 3|. 'I'he channel 34 communicates with the channel 3a while the channel 35 is an outlet discharge.

The same arrangement has been adapted also to the lubrication of the semispherical bearing pieces or steps s between the plungers and the rocker beam 6 that controls the crankshaft 42. In addition the contact of each plunger s with its step 9 is ensured by a spring i4; this contact is essential since if there were any clearance between said plungers 8 and steps 9; there would be an escape of oil therethrough.

The centrifugal governor is controlled preferably by the driven shaft, but it might just as well be controlled by the driving shaft. The object of the said governor is to cause a variation in the lgear ratio of the apparatus when the resistant torque reaches a certain figure that has been determined beforehand. The governor is provided vwith two governor weights 48 and a spring 44; the weights are rotatably supported by shafts 46 and through the agency of the rod 46 and levers 41 which tend to compress the spring 44 upon outward displacement of the weights 48.

Interposed between the levers 41 and the rocker beam 8 is the rod Il so that, as the driven shaft speeds up. the centrifugal force developed by the rotation of the weights acts on the rod levers, and rocker beam whereby the eccentricity of the collar 25 is modified. When the speed of the driven shaft increases, the governor weights move away from their inoperative position; consequently the rocker beam moves progressively the collar 25, the eccentricity of which becomes zero when the weights reach their maximum displacement. A direct coupling is thus obtained.

This direct coupling is maintained for speeds of the driven shaft which are greater than the speed corresponding to said maximum displacef` ment of the governor weights 48. The tension of the governor spring 44 may be adjusted once and for all. But, by adjusting the tension of the spring at a greater value, the maximum displacement of the weights is obtained for a greater more power. The accelerator pedal 5| of thespring If the speed of the driven shaft drops too much.' I

the centrifugal governing device drops nearer to its inoperative position and draws the rod I3 downwards, the result being to move the slider i0 over to the left side (Fig. 3). The oil comes into the left side cylindrically bored element 43 through the bore 34 communicating with the channel 3a and leaves the right hand cylindrically bored element 43 through the bore 35 which is an outlet discharge. The rocker beam 6 is shifted and moves the collar 25 while closing the slider I0. Therocker beam keeps in step always with the movements of the rod I3.

The operation of the actual change speed gear depends` on the throw given to the eccentricity of the collar 25 between zero and a maximum corresponding to the actual eccentricity of the eccentric ISa. When the eccentricity of the collar is at a maximum corresponding to said eccentricity of the eccentric l9a, the operative strokes of pistons and 2| are the same; the eccentric lua remains thus stationary. Consequently the cage i9 is stationary and the ratio between the speeds of the driving and the driven shaft is then equal to the ratio of the gears of the planetary assembly.

It is apparent that, when the koutput of the motor is modified through this modification in eccentricity of the collar and drops to any desired value including zero, the output of the pump cylinders is controlled to decrease to the same extent;`"in other words the relative rotary speed between the eccentric lila and the driven shaft decreases.

While I have described preferred embodiments o1' my invention, I desire that .it be understood that equivalents may be employed and that no limitations upon the invention are intended other than are imposed by the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is: L 1. A variable speed transmission including a driving and a driven shaft, a planetary gear asf` sembly therebetween, a cage forming a part of said assembly, an eccentric coupled to said cage,

a rotary body coaxial and rigid with the driven shaft including a pump and a motor in the form of two radial series of cylinders, pistons disposed within the pump cylinders operated by said eccentric, pistons disposed within the motor cylinders, a collar carrying said motor pistons and provided with an inner longitudinal wide passage and surrounding thev driven shaft, means hydraulically connecting the pump and the motor forming therewith a hydraulic closed circuit, means for carrying the said collar and means for angularly shifting the sameto provide variable eccentricity to vary the motor output, whereby the pump necessarily adjusts the speed of the eccentric linked to thecage assembly.

2. A variable speed transmission including a driving and a driven shaft, a planetary gear assemblytherebetween, a cage forming a part of said assembly, an eccentric coupled to said cage, a rotary body coaxial and rigid with the driven y shaft including a pump and a. motor in the form of two radial series of cylinders, pistons disposed within the pump cylinders operated by said eccentric, pistons disposed within the motor cylinders, a collar carrying said motor pistons and provided with an inner longitudinal wide passaid collar, and acrank handle l 1 system to shift thecollarre vely toisaiddriven ton adapted to reciprocate in each cylindercbm-v prising at itsl inner end'a Slipper elementand being axially boredfthroughout tolubricate .the cooperating surfaces of said slipper elements. eccentric and collar -at the fluid, pressure of the cylinders, means vhydraulically connecting the pump and the motor-.to form therewith a, hydraulic' closed circuit,means for carrying the said collar and means j forangularly shifting the same to provide variablereccentricity.

3. A variable speed transmision including a driving and a driven shaft, a planetary gear assembly therebetween,- ya cage forming a part of said assembly, an eccentric coupled to said cage. a rotary body coaxialIy-and rigid with the driven shaft .including a pump and a motor in thelform of two radial seriesr of cylinders, ypistons disposed within the pump cylindersQoperated bysaideccentric, pistons disposedfwithin -the motor :cylinders, a collarcarr 'ng, :saidmotor pistons'and provided withxanggg nerjilongitudinal widetpassage and surrounding [thev driven j shafm means hydraulically connecting`v-v the pump iand'N-the motor to form therewithajhydraulic -close`dcir cuit, a crank rigid withthe collar. a carrierfor revolubly supporting saidcrank tov allow' the same to revolve round an axis parallel to and spaced from the axis Vvof the driven shaft, means for angularly shiftingthe said collar to provide i variable eccentricty.l A, y

4. A variable speed ,transmission including a of said assembly, an eccentric coupled' to said cage, a rotary bodyfcoaxialand rigid withfthe; l y

ump and ai motor in the form of two 'radialseries of cylinders, `pis` ywithin'fth'epump cylindersv oper-y tons disposed wthirii` la carryingjsaid'motor fl pistons and providedyvith an inner longitudinalwide passageand surlfllding, the` driven'sh'af-tff a hydraulic closedi circui'typassing' through t h` e. v

`pump andthe'motonfmeans'fm carrying lthe "v and a worm gear f driven shaft including tons disposed ated by said eccentriepr the motor cylnders,'^a"c shaft to adjusnits' eccentricitygf i y t 5. A variable speed transmission including a driving and a driven shaft,a planetary gear assembly therebetween, 'a-icage forming af part-of said assembly, aneccentriccoupled to said ca'ge,

a rotary body coaxial and rigid'lwith the driven* shaft including a `pump"andi-a motor in `thejj` form of two radialfseriesbf cylinders, pi'sijrzn's disposed within the pifinpA cylinders operated by-- said eccentric, pistonsd'isposed within the motor;v cylinders, a collar carrying said motor pistons and. y provided with an inner longitudinal wide passage f and surrounding the driven shaft, a closed hydraulic circuit passing vthrough the pump arid the motor a crank at lthe free end of which said collar is rigidlyfmounted, a stationaryfcar-A rier for pivotally supporting'said crank, a rocker beam rigid with said'crankfand adaptedto rock. n therewith, an auxiliary-'automatic systemincluding a distributor.and-twoi'fcylindrically bored ele-y ments, means forffeeding'and removing vfluid selectively into andfoutof either of the boredelements under thecontifola of the distributorfa"v` plunger slidingly v'carric'ad 'in each of saidf bored elements and operatively .engaging theendsoi y the rocker beam, 'r'rleansjv for controlling the distributor for makin" ither plunger vrock .the

said: cylindrical ,bored provided Wth an `inner longitudinal wide passage andsurrounding the driven shaft, means hy- `drauli'c'zally connecting the pumpand the motor tol form therewithv a hydraulicv closed circuit, means'forcarrying, thefsaid' collar, a rocker beam rigid .with.thecollz'rrlI and adapted to rock therewith, anauxiliaryautoxatic system including a distributor and two. ylindrically bored elements, means forfe'eding ndremoving uid'selectively into .andoutfy 4ofV-'eith rfgofqthe bored elements under the control of'fthe distributor,'axially bored plunger `vslidinglyi.carried,in' said cylindrically boredeleni'ents,v and operatively engaging the endsdf--fthe`ro-cken beam, the-lubrication of the cooperatirigsurfaces.of the rocker beam and of the plunger-slicing performed through the bores in thplungers by the-liquid under pressure in ements, means for controllingA the distribute forl-Inakinggeither plunger rock the rockerbe and- "erankpin in the corresponding dire 7. A-.variabl'e pe transmission including. a drivingandafv-,d n`y haft, a'planetary gear assembly,therebv tivej agcage'jforminga part of said assembly. an v`Icentricf'coupled tosaid cage, a rotaryfbo'dy;coaxial `and rigid with the driven shaft-'includinga'pump and a motor in the form' ofl two "radial series for` cylinders, pistons disposed within the pump cylinders operated by saideccentric; pistons disposedwithin themotor cylinders acollarcarryinglsaid motor pistons and provided withanfVv inner llongitudinal wide passager and" surroundingfthe" driven shaft, means hydraulically connecting-thepump and the motor to form-,therewith .aj hydraulic closed circuit, means forcarrying the said collar, a rocker beam -rigidQwithjthefcollarand-adapted to rock therewith, an auxiliary automatic system iricluding a distributor and two cylindrically bored elements, means for feeding and removing uid selectively into and out of either of the bored elements under the control of the distributor, plungers slidingly carried in said bored elements and operatively engaging the ends of the rocker beam', a centrifugal regulator controlled by the driven shaft. means whereby said regulator controls the distributor for making either plunger rock the rocker beam and collar.

8. A variable speed transmission including a driving and a driven shaft, a planetary gear assembly therebetween, a cage forming a part of said assembly, an eccentric coupled to said cage, a rotary body coaxial and rigid with the driven shaft including a pump and a motor in the form of two radial series of cylinders, pistons disposed within the pump cylinders operated by said eccentric, pistons disposed within the motor cylinders, a collar carrying said motor pistons and provided with an inner longitudinal wide passage and surrounding the driven shaft, means hydraulically connecting the pump and the motor to form therewith a hydraulic closed circuit, a crank at the free end of which said collar is rigidly mounted, means for pivotally carrying said crank, means for automatically angularly shifting the same to provide variable eccentricity of said collar, a centrifugal governor provided with two weights and a spring, an accelerator control system for automatically adjusting the tension of said spring, whereby the action of the governor on the distributor is delayed.

JEAN MARTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,219,052 Orshansky Oct. 22, 1940 2,276,908 Schmid Mar. 17, 1942 2,296,929 Ifleld Sept. 29, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 603,395 France Jan. 8, 1926 

